1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a machining apparatus in which a work retained in a stocker is removed therefrom and transported to a machining area, and the machined work is returned from the machining area to the stocker.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a plate-shaped work is to be machined, a plurality of works are previously stacked horizontally in a thickness-wise direction on one side of the machining area. The uppermost work is removed therefrom and transported to the machining area, and the machined works are sequentially transported to the other side of the machining area and stacked one on another. If the works are processed in this manner, the working efficiency can be enhanced (see JP-A-2001-139170).
However, not only one surface (a front surface) but also a rear surface of the work must be machined in some cases. In such a case, it is performed according to the above-described conventional technique that the works machined and stacked are turned over upside and downside by an operator and moved again to the machining area, where they are machined. For this reason, the working efficiency could not be enhanced.
If an upside-downside turning device for the works is provided, so that the works whose surfaces have been machined are turned over upside-downside, one by one or all together, the size of the apparatus is increased, and the working efficiency is reduced.